Staff | The Beaufort Gazette

Proposed reforms to the S.C. Department of Transportation at this point might not do much to solve today's transportation problems on Beaufort County's Sea Islands, but the changes could ensure streamlining solutions for similar problem in the future.

Local and state public officials have been working overtime to solve the traffic nightmare caused when a barge ferrying a crane damaged four of five beams that support the 26-year-old J.E. McTeer Bridge that connects Lady's Island and Port Royal. The bridge is one of only two highway arteries to and from the Sea Islands.

This bridge doesn't create much of a fraction in DOT's 42,000 miles of roads and bridges under its command, but it is a vital link in the economic livelihood of thousands of people who live and work on the island, especially tomato farmers who depend on the bridge for transportation to market. And the economic impact of transporting tomatoes to market will be upon us long before the potential repair of the bridge. Consequently, the fitness of the road system plays a key role in this region's economy -- from houses to tomatoes to tourism.

A retired Marine colonel recounted in a commentary Thursday a similar accident in Texas six year ago. Roxanne Cheney pointed out that three weeks after two 80-foot spans of the Queen Isabella Memorial Bridge linking South Padre Island and the mainland, construction was under way and was completed 30 days ahead of schedule. The effort took the cooperation of many public agencies, private companies and individuals, especially voters.

While Texans were able to marshal a plan quickly, South Carolina's legislative leaders can't even agree on a much-needed reform at the beleaguered Department of Transportation. A filibuster in the Senate threatens even modest reform this year.

Texas is one of 47 states were the DOT reports to the executive branch of government, and in 41 states, the governor appoints a transportation director. In six states, the governor appoints the DOT commission.

Proposed reforms in the House and Senate could create either of these. Under the House version, the legislature would appoint a seven-member commission, and the governor would appoint an executive director. In the Senate version, the governor would appoint a seven-member board, and the board would hire an executive director.

Debate last week broke down into a filibuster because some senators are skeptical of giving up legislative oversight and handing control of the agency's billion-dollar budget to the governor. DOT commissioners and department officials joined the fray by questioning whether the state would lose billions in federal funds.

But if 47 others states aren't worried about losing federal money under a similar structure as that proposed for South Carolina, why should Palmetto State officials worry?

The problem boils down to control: an emboldened DOT commission and senators don't want to give up control. They worry about this despite a Legislative Audit Council report last year that said some DOT management practices had cost taxpayers more than $50 million.

This particular reform effort probably won't have a positive effect on Beaufort's transportation crisis, but we hope that all the squabbling doesn't redirect attention from repairing an important component of this community's economic infrastructure.

But the senators should get over their problems and vote on the reforms.